Improvement in easels



N. JOHNSON.

Improvement in Easels.

F- l l NATHANIEL JOHNSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN EASELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 122,725, dated January 16, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, NATHANIEL JOHNSON, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented, made, and applied to use a new and useful Improvement in the Construction of Easels and Frames for Supportin gBlackboards; and that the following is a full, clear, and correct description of my invention, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, in which- Figure 1 is an end view of my improved easel and frame for supporting blackboards when folded. Fig. 2 is a View of the same when opened. Fig. 3 is a view of the head piece, to which the standards are attached.

In the drawing, like parts of the invention are pointed out by the same letters of reference.

The nature of the presentinvention consists in certain improvements, as more fully hereinafter set forth, in the construction of easels and frames for supporting blackboards; the object of the invention being the production of an improved easel and frame for supporting blackboards, which can be folded readily, so as to occupy little space, can be easily handled, and, from its peculiar construction, allows an elevator for maps, pictures, and charts, to be placed upon the back of the center leg, so that the invention may be used for the double purpose of supporting a blackboard, and of exhibiting maps, pictures, and charts in the school-room.

To enable those skilled in the arts to make and use my invention, I will describe its construction and operation.

A and A represent the three legs of the improved easel, made of suitable length, the upper ends of which legs A are pivoted to a head,

B, made of metal or wood. This head B is constructed as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, and consists of a plate of metal, to which are attached the upper ends of the legs or standards A, the upper portion of said legs A being grooved, to allow of the introduction of the metal plate B. The plate B is also provided with the side lugs b, between which the upper end of the center leg A is secured in any convenient manner, generally by means of a pin passed through the lugs b and the upper portion of the leg A The face of the head B may be provided with a face-plate of metal, 0, so shaped as to guide and stop the upper ends of the legs A as they are turned upon the pivots holding them to the plate or head B. The two outer legsA of the easel are provided with a series of holes, a, in line with each other, intended to receive the pins secured in the rear of a shelf, 0, designed to support the blackboard. Upon the back of the center leg A is placed a strip, H, of wood or metal, held beneath clamps d, secured upon the back of the center leg A and provided at its upper end with a hook, e, intended, when the strip H has been extended to any desired height, to allow amap, chart, or drawing to be suspended from the hook.

Such being the construction, it will be read.- ily seen that the legs A and A may be spread out into the tripod form, and in this form will serve to support the shelf 0, upon which the blackboard is to be supported; and that by constructing the center leg A so that it may be thrown out of the plane or back of the two legs A, I am enabled to employ an elevator, H, for the exihibiton of maps, pictures, or charts, thus adding to the value of the invention. When not in use for the purposes described, the shelf 0 can be easily removed from the easel, and the same be folded into a small space, as shown in Fig. l of the drawing.

Having now set forth my invention, what I claim as new, is

1. The combination, with the head B, of the legs A and A when the same shall be constructed and operate substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, with the head B, legs A and A of the elevator H, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purposes set forth. i

N ATHL. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

A. SIDNEY DOANE.

WM. HASTINGS. (54.) 

